Commercially available hair color generally falls into one of three categories: permanent, semi-permanent, or temporary. The term “permanent” generally refers to oxidative hair color, which provides hair color that lasts about four to six weeks. While oxidatively colored hair remains permanently dyed, because of new hair growth, the roots must be re-colored about every four to six weeks. Oxidative hair color is usually sold in the form of a two-component kit. The preferred kits have one container filled with an aqueous alkaline composition in the liquid, gel, or creme form that contains oxidative dyes, and an alkalizing agent, which is most often ammonium hydroxide. In the other container is a developer composition that contains an oxidizing agent, usually hydrogen peroxide. The two components are mixed immediately prior to use and applied to hair. This mixture is left on the hair for an appropriate period of time, generally 30 to 60 minutes, then rinsed off with water.
It is estimated that about 50% of the female population colors their hair at home using such retail kits. Typically the process takes from 30 to 60 minutes, although Revlon sells one at-home retail kit under the High Dimension brand that is capable of oxidatively coloring hair in 10 minutes. Even though great strides have been made in reducing the time and complexity involved in oxidatively coloring hair, there are still consumers who believe that the process takes too long, or is simply too complex and inconvenient. Accordingly, hair color companies are on an eternal quest to make dyeing hair as simple and convenient as normal, every day grooming practices such as washing and conditioning hair. If coloring hair could be simplified so that it took only minutes and could be integrated into every day grooming practices, it is likely that many more consumers would use oxidative hair color, and those that do use it would use it more frequently. It is particularly desirable that the simple process be capable of permanently coloring hair.
It is an object of the invention to provide a method for oxidatively coloring hair in a process that can be integrated into normal every day grooming practices. The hair to be colored can be gray hair, hair already colored with oxidative, semi-permanent, or temporary dyes, or virgin hair of any color.
It is an object of the invention to provide a process for oxidatively coloring hair by applying first and second compositions sequentially.
It is an object of the invention to provide shampoo and conditioner compositions for oxidatively coloring hair as well as cleansing and conditioning hair.
It is an object of the invention to provide a kit for oxidatively coloring hair containing at least one shampoo and at least one conditioner composition.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for treating hair that has been oxidatively colored to rejuvenate and restore the hair color.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method for providing dimensionality to oxidatively colored hair.
It is a further object to provide a method for oxidatively coloring hair wherein an oxidative dye composition is applied to the hair in an amount and for a time sufficient to cause at least some of the oxidative dye present to become entrapped within the hair fiber, removing the oxidative dyes that are not entrapped within the hair fiber, then treating the hair fibers with an oxidizing agent reactive with the trapped oxidative dye in the hair fibers to form color.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a color corrector for blondes to tone down the brassiness that may occur after a coloring or bleaching procedure.